Perfected device: a folding spring bed convertible into a table

ABSTRACT

A combination folding bed and table has fixedly spaced apart parallel vertical side panels on the inside of each of which a frame is attached with a folding bed spring unit pivotally attached to the frames so as to be foldable into a collapsed position within the confines of the side panels and to be extensible in one endwise direction into a horizontal position supported by the frames. An end panel is pivotally connected to one end of the frames and in its movement to a lowered horizontal position, when the unit is opened, serves through linkages to raise support means for the bed unit and also to position the foot end of the bed unit. In its vertical position, the end panel complements the fixed side panels to enclose the folded bed unit. An L-shaped end panel is pivoted to the other end of the frames and includes a vertical panel and a top with the top being in two hinged sections so that the sections can be unfolded to provide the top of the table and to complete the enclosure for the folded bed unit.

United States Patent 1 1 Herrera 1 1 Feb. 4, 1975 PERFECTED DEVICE: A FOLDING SPRING BED CONVERTIBLE INTO A TABLE [21] Appl. No.: 385,426

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Primary ExaminerCasmir A. Nunberg Att0rney,-Agent, or Firm-Edward F. Connors [57] ABSTRACT A combination folding bed and table has fixedly spaced apart parallel vertical side panels on the inside of each of which a frame is attached with a folding bed spring unit pivotally attached to the frames so as to be foldable into a collapsed position within the confines of the side panels and to be extensible in one endwise direction into a horizontal position supported Aug. 4, 1972 Spain 182970 by the frames- An and Panel is Pivotally Connected to one end of the frames and in its movement to a low- [52] U.S. Cl 5/3, 5/6, 5/155, cred horizontal Position, when the unit is p 5/17 serves through linkages to raise support means for the 51 Int. Cl. A47c 13/38 bed unit and also to Position the foot end of the bed 58 Field of Search 5/3 7, 111, unit In its vertical position, the end panel p 5/114 132 155 1 0 173 ments the fixed side panels to enclose the folded bed unit. An L-shaped end panel is pivoted to the other end of the frames and includes a vertical panel and a top with the top being in two hinged sections so that [56] References C'ted the sections can be unfolded to provide the top of the UNITED STATES PATENTS table and to complete the enclosure for the folded bed 2,572,642 10/1951 Margiloff 5/152 unit. 2,982,973 5/1961 Faver 5/4 3,161,892 12/1964 Ducrot 5/5 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures I12 s R 10 I 1 6 I 1 I 1! 1 2b za 5 ----1 201 5 l I /3a/ A 2 4G 3 [6a, 3 66b PERFECTED DEVICE: A FOLDING SPRING BED CONVERTIBLE INTO A TABLE The present invention relates to an improved article of furniture in the nature of a combined table and bed and comprises a spring bed which may be converted into a table of conventional height for normal utilitarian purposes, such as dining.

The present invention constitutes an improvement over my Spanish Utility Pat. No. l55,535 which discloses a folded bed unit.

The improvements in the present invention comprise the provision of a metal frame for an articulated spring bed whereby the spring bed may be easily installed in a wood cabinet, which completely encloses and hides the spring bed in its folded position.

The spring bed is formed so that when the hinged end and top panels of the table are unfolded and lowered, the bed is raised from its folded position into an open horizontal position by being moved, as a unit, in one direction. In other words, the bed is composed of articulated sections which can be swung upwardly and outwardly toward the foot end of the bed, as an articulated unit and in a very simple and easy manner.

The preferred embodiment of the combination bed and table is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. I is a top plan view of the article of furniture showing it as the bed in an open position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the article of furniture in its unfolded bed converted form;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing the article of furniture in a position wherein the bed is half open; and,

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing the bed completely folded and with one of the fixed side panels of the bed removed to clearly show the bed in its folded condition and with the other panels of the table shown in raised positions.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the article of furniture is a combination bed and table which is composed of an outer structure of wood or the like panels that enclose and completely hide the articulated bed unit when it is in its folded and collapsed position, as shown in FIG. 4.

The combination table and bed is composed of two fixed side panels 1, which may be made of wood or any other similar material, and which are disposed in fixedly laterally spaced apart and parallel positions. The panels have inner surfaces on which L-shaped metal frames 2 are suitably fastened with the metal frames being interconnected by suitable transverse pieces (not shown). Each of the L-shaped frames 2 includes a longitudinally extending bottom section 2a having at its outer or front end (having regard to the bed in an open position) an upstanding leg 2b. Free rolling wheels 3, such as conventional casters, are attached to the frame section 2a whereby the piece of furniture can be moved.

At the angular point of connection between the longitudinal frame section 2a and the upstanding leg 2b, an end panel 4 is pivotally attached by pivot means 4a whereby the panel can swing about a horizontal axis from the lowered horizontal position of FIG. 2 to the raised vertical position of FIG. 4. At the opposite or head end (having regard to the bed in an open position) of the horizontal frame section 2a a suitably reinforced angle member Sis pivoted, as at 80, at the angular juncture of the two legs of the angle member 8. The leg sections 8b, of the angle members 8 have attached thereto an angular end panel 7 which complements the opposing end panel 4 and which can be moved about the pivot 8a from the lowered horizontal position of FIG. 2 to the raised vertical position of FIG. 4. From a consideration of FIG. 4, it will be clear that the pivoted end panels 4 and 7 in their raised positions complement the fixed vertical side panels 1 and form an enclosure that completely hides the articulated bed unit, which will be more particularly described hereinafter.

The end panel 7 has a fixed right angularly arranged panel section 7a which when the end panel is in its vertical position will be disposed in a horizontal position, as shown in FIG. 4, and which hingedly supports at its outer end a complemental top panel section 6 that can be swung upwardly and downwardly from the full line position of FIG. 4 to the dotted line position of FIG. 4. In such position, the panels 6 and 7a form the top of the table and complete the enclosure for the folded bed unit.

The upper end of the leg section 8c of the angle member 8 is provided with an offset slotted portion 17 that slides on a lug 17a fixed to and forming part of the end section 15 of the spring bed frame, which corresponds to the headboard arrangement.

The end of the section 15, which is remote from the angular member 8, is pivotally connected, as at 15a, to an intermediate section 14, which, in turn, is hinged to a foot end piece 9. The foot end piece 9 pivotally carries legs 10, which are attached by pivot means 10a at their upper ends and which are connected by a pivoted connecting rod 11 to a lever 12. The rod 11 is pivotally attached, as at 11a, to the middle of a lever 12. The lever 12 is pivoted as at 12a to the foot end section 9 and at 12b to the rods 5 that carry the end panel 4. The intermediate section 14 and the foot section 9 are pivoted together and to the upper end of the legs 2b of frame 2 by pivot means 18.

At a point midway of the rods 5, a flexible tie or connector 13 is fastened by means of a pivot 13a. The other end of the flexible tie 13 is pivotally connected to a support arm 16 which is pivoted, as at 16a, to the frame section 2a and which is adapted to be swung about the horizontal pivot 16a by the lowering of the end panel 4 so as to move into a vertical position underlying the section 15 of the spring bed frame, as shown in FIG. 2.

Assuming the article of furniture to be in a table forming condition, as shown in FIG. 4, in order to place it into a bed providing condition, first the top panel section 6 is swung about the hinge means so as to lie over the panel section 7a and then the panel sections, including the end panel 7, are lowered about the pivot 8a. This causes the leg section 8c of the angle piece to move into a vertical position and thereby lift the head section 15 into a horizontal position which brings the intermediate section 14 into a horizontal position also. The intermediate section together with the foot section 9 are pivotally jointed to the upper end of the leg sections 2b of the frame pieces 2 and move about such pivot points. As the intermediate section assumes a horizontal position, the foot section has been swung upwardly and downwardly about the pivot means 18 into a horizontal position.

As the foot section 9 is swung about the pivot means, this brings into play the levers and connecting rods 11 and 12 and thereby lowers the end panel 4. The vertical positioning of the legs follows therefrom until the end panel 4 comes to rest in a horizontal position, as shown in FIG. 2. As the end panel 4 moves into such horizontal position, it swings the support means 16 about the pivot means 16a so as to bring the free end thereof into supportive relation with the head section of the bed unit, thereby supporting the unit in a secure horizontal position.

Of course, it is to be understood that the disposition of the assembly and operation of the piece of furniture, as regards the various pivoted sections, rods, levers and the like has been shown as seen from one side thereof and it should be understood that both sides are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of the unit in unfolded condition.

I claim:

1. An article of furniture in the form of a convertible table and bed comprising a pair of fixedly spaced apart, parallel vertical side panels having inner surfaces, frame members mounted on said inner surfaces, an articulated spring bed unit having a head section, a' foot section and an intermediate section pivotally connected together for movement from a coplanar horizontal position into a folded position collapsed within the confines of the space between the side panels, said head and intermediate sections being pivotally supported by the frame members, said bed section being movable about said pivots from a collapsed position between the side panels in one longitudinal direction paralleling the longitudinal axis of the side panels with the intermediate and front sections unfolding outwardly and downwardly about the head section which swings upwardly, a first end panel pivotally connected to the frame members, a second end panel pivotally connected to the frame members, said end panels being movable from lowered substantially horizontal positions when the bed unit is in an open horizontal placement into raised vertical positions wherein they complement the side panels in enclosing the folded bed unit, and a top panel carried by the second end panel and adapted to be positioned in a horizontal position resting on the upper edges of the end and side panels and completely overlying the folded bed unit to form the top of the table and complete the enclosure for the folded bed unit which is completely hidden from view in any direction by the assembled panels.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said top panel includes a first section angularly fixed to the second end panel and adapted to be moved into a horizontal position when said end panel is raised into a vertical position and a second section hingedly attached to the first section and adapted to be swung upwardly and downwardly into a horizontal position so as to be coplanar with the horizontally disposed first section and thereby form the complete table top.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said frame members have longitudinal sections provided at one end with a vertical upstanding leg section to which the intermediate and foot sections of the bed unit are pivotally attached.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein angle members are pivotally attached to the other ends of the frame members, said angle members having angularly related leg sections and being pivotally attached to the ends of the longitudinal sections of the frame members at the juncture of the leg sections, one of said leg sections being attached to and supporting the second end panel and the other leg section being pivotally attached to and supporting the head section of the bed unit.

5. The invention of claim 3 wherein supporting legs are pivotally carried by the foot section of the bed unit and are adapted to depend therefrom and support the foot section in a horizontal placement, said first end panel being connected by linkage means to the foot section and to the legs so as to bring them into position as the foot panel is lowered about its pivotal connection with the frame members during the opening of the bed unit.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein support means is provided for supporting the head section of the bed unit in a horizontal position and includes supporting arms which are pivoted on the frame members for upwardly vertical swinging movement about a horizontal axis and linkage means is connected between the first end panel and the supporting arms for swinging the supporting arms into vertical positions as the first end panel is lowered about its pivotal axis during movement of the bed unit from a folded to an open condition. 

1. An article of furniture in the form of a convertible table and bed comprising a pair of fixedly spaced apart, parallel vertical side panels having inner surfaces, frame members mounted on said inner surfaces, an articulated spring bed unit having a head section, a foot section and an intermediate section pivotally connected together for movement from a coplanar horizontal position into a folded position collapsed within the confines of the space between the side panels, said head and intermediate sections being pivotally supported by the frame members, said bed section being movable about said pivots from a collapsed position between the side panels in one longitudinal direction paralleling the longitudinal axis of the side panels with the intermediate and front sections unfolding outwardly and downwardly about the head section which swings upwardly, a first end panel pivotally connected to the frame members, a second end panel pivotally connected to the frame members, said end panels being movable from lowered substantially horizontal positions when the bed unit is in an open horizontal placement into raised vertical positions wherein they complement the side panels in enclosing the folded bed unit, and a top panel carried by the second end panel and adapted to be positioned in a horizontal position resting on the upper edges of the end and side panels and completely overlying the folded bed unit to form the top of the table and complete the enclosure for the folded bed unit which is completely hidden from view in any direction by the assembled panels.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said top panel includes a first section angularly fixed to the second end panel and adapted to be moved into a horizontal position when said end panel is raised into a vertical position and a second section hingedly attached to the first section and adapted to be swung upwardly and downwardly into a horizontal position so as to be coplanar with the horizontally disposed first section and thereby form the complete table top.
 3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said frame members have longitudinal sections provided at one end with a vertical upstanding leg section to which the intermediate and foot sections of the bed unit are pivotally attached.
 4. The invention of claim 3 wherein angle members are pivotally attached to the other ends of the frame members, said angle members having angularly related leg sections and being pivotally attached to the ends of the longitudinal sections of the frame members at the juncture of the leg sections, one of said leg sections being attached to and supporting the second end panel and the other leg section being pivotally attached to and supporting the heAd section of the bed unit.
 5. The invention of claim 3 wherein supporting legs are pivotally carried by the foot section of the bed unit and are adapted to depend therefrom and support the foot section in a horizontal placement, said first end panel being connected by linkage means to the foot section and to the legs so as to bring them into position as the foot panel is lowered about its pivotal connection with the frame members during the opening of the bed unit.
 6. The invention of claim 1 wherein support means is provided for supporting the head section of the bed unit in a horizontal position and includes supporting arms which are pivoted on the frame members for upwardly vertical swinging movement about a horizontal axis and linkage means is connected between the first end panel and the supporting arms for swinging the supporting arms into vertical positions as the first end panel is lowered about its pivotal axis during movement of the bed unit from a folded to an open condition. 